Typically, when a new item listing is added to an online transaction (e.g., auction, sale, etc.) system, such as eBay, an image corresponding to the new item listing is also uploaded to the online transaction system and associated with the item listing. This increases the number of images maintained in the online transaction system in proportion to the number of item listings. The increased number of images, in turn, increases the amount of memory required to maintain the item listings. Currently, for example, e-Bay maintains more than one billion item images and the number increases as new item listings are added every day. Many item listings listed on eBay are, however, identical or substantially similar to one another. This results in many identical or substantially similar item images being loaded and piled up repeatedly, causing an inefficient use of memory and a delayed response in a search for a wanted item listing.